Modified grapefruit juice does the trick

May 17, 2006

Doctors now know exactly why grapefruit juice interferes with certain blood pressure and cholesterol medicines. It's the furanocoumarins. Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill made the discovery. They confirmed it by creating furanocoumarin-free grapefruit juice and giving it to people who were also taking a certain high blood pressure medicine. The modified juice did not interact with the medicine. The breakthrough may be good news for people who love grapefruit juice but can't drink it because of their medicines. Juice companies may soon produce a furanocoumarin-free juice that's safe for them.